A study of the values and principles-based approach to restorative justice

Due to the absence of a universally accepted definition, process, or theory of restorative justice, the principles and values-based approach to restorative justice is highly recognised by proponents as pivotal in its practice in criminal settings. Praxis in the name of restorative justice might not be restorative and may even be destructive if an appropriate set of principles and values compatible with its ethos are not effectively maintained. These principles and values, however, are still fuzzy and vaguely identified. This study comprises a content analysis of texts to identify the most common principles and values of restorative justice and focuses on analysing the most frequently recurring principles and values aligned to strategies for implementing restorative justice in practice. It found a total of 21 restorative justice principles and 32 values from the selected 51 texts. Among them, nine principles and six values which frequently and consistently recurred in the literature suggest a clearer approach to best practice.